Life Post Transplant

I’d like to be able to write that life post transplant has been amazing with no further complications, but that would be a lie. I have had post transplant complications but then almost everyone who has a transplant gets some kind of complication whether it is signs of rejection or something else.

My complications haven’t been that of rejection but narrowing of the upper airways which their putting down to the way my trachi scar has healed. I had a small procedure a couple of weeks ago where they dilated the airways, however I was told it may happen again, which it has, so the airways will now need a stent putting in place to permanently keep them from closing again.
I’m also currently on my CF ward due to having a low white blood cell count, apparently it’s the anti-rejection drugs which are more than likely to be the cause of this. So my CF team are liaising with the Transplant team in Newcastle and hopefully this will be resolved over the next day or so.


On the brighter side, life post transplant is pretty cool, I can take in more air than ever before and to see the SATS monitor say 97-99% is pretty awesome, I used to be lucky to see 92% or on a really good day 94%. I have bundles more energy and no longer struggle with the daily day to day tasks like cooking, cleaning, shopping etc. I’ve also got to the point where I’m considering returning to work after Christmas, but I don’t really know what I want to do. I would love to go back to teaching dance and PE, perhaps on supply like I was pre-transplant or maybe something totally new. Making a decision such as that I’m finding quite difficult, you see its like I had got used to living this ‘half a life’ where I was reliant on others and couldn’t work and didn’t often make too many plans in advance I just lived each day, but now this huge door of opportunity is open once again, but I just don’t know what to do with it, where do you start? You spend all your time waiting for that second chance I just want to make sure I get it right and do my donor and their family justice.


Mark and I are making plans to go on holiday next year with the rest of the family which I’m really looking forward to, will be just what we all need.

I want to end this blog by wishing Victoria Tremlett http://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/368773527723/ a trouble free, speedy recovery. Victoria waited 4 years 3 months for that life saving call and it came just in the nick of time. Welcome to the rest of your life Victoria.



Taken whilst in ITU...
What a difference
11 weeks make.